Extension fire-ladder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.l l L. DEDERIGK.

. EXTENSION EIEE LADDEE. No. 383,107.

if@ E @QJ (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. L. DEDERIOK.

EXTENSION FIRE LADDER.

No. $3,107...) Patented May 22, 1888.

222 z/@zz tot', M67?! N. PETERS. Phnwiilhampher, Washington. D. C.

PATEN ll rric Lnvi nnnninoii, or ALBANY, Nnw Yoan.

EXTENSION rmrLAooru.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 383,107, dated May 22, 18188.

Application tiled April 11, 1887. Serial No; 234,360. (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, Lnvr Dnnnnroir, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Fire-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements on a former invention in extension fire -ladders made by myself; and it consists in the combinations of devices and elements, particularly described in the specification, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide and so combine in extensionladders supporting-props which will have their bases at all times at the same given distance from the joint on which the main ladder turns, while the upper ends of these props will have their upper ends bearing against the main ladder at variable and different points in its length,accord ingly as the ladder is elevated more or less toward a perpendicular position, and, further, to provide particular means by which the invention can be embodied in extension fire-ladders. I attain these objects by means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichM Figure l is aplan view of an extension tireladder embodying my improvements,with the ladders folded horizontally. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the saine. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the same with the ladders elevated. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken at line 1 in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a perspective .view of the toboggan used with the ladders.

The same letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A represents any suitable truck.. Bis a turn-platform mounted on the said truck in any suitable manner. C G are suitable posts securely and firmly fixed on the turn-platform. D is the main ladder, which is jointed to posts C C by the shaft a. E is a sliding ladder working on ladder D, and held with the same by the holdinglips b b, secured to the main ladder and holding on the side rails ofthe sliding ladder in the usual manner. F is a windlass mounted in suitable bearings secured to the base ends of the side rails o c of the main ladder. G G are sheaves or rollers, which are mounted on a suit-able shaft, g, se-

cured to the upper end of the `:main ladder.. Suitable ropes, d, connect at one end with windlass F, and are carried back below the rounds ofthe main ladder and over sheaves G G, and thence above the said rounds to one of the rounds of the sliding ladder E, to which said ropes are secured. A suitable ratchet wheel, j, is secured to the shaft of windlass F, and apawl, f", is provided, by which the sliding ladder will be held to any place moved to on the main ladder. A suitable brake can be used for checking the windlass when the ladder E is being moved down to its place on the main ladder, so that it will be prevent-ed from running rapidly down. All these above-described parts are shown in my former inventions, and are not claimed by me as being new, but are used by me in connection with other devices and combinations of devices which constitute my present improvements.

H H are protecting-cases to ropes d d, which cases are preferably made of sheet metal, and are secured to the side rails c c oi' the main ladder, and are extended, preferably, from near windlass F to sheaves G G, and. are to receive those portions of ropes d d which may be uncoiled between the windlass and sheaves. These protecting-cases operate to keep the said ropes dry and from being cut or marred or burned; Made in the lower side of the side rails ccofthe sliding ladder are the longitudinal grooves h h, within which the portions of ropes d cl above the rounds ofthe main ladder will work and be protected from water and accidental injury while in service.

J J are prop-levers, which are jointed at their base ends with the turn-platform B at a distance rearwardly from posts C C. The drawings show these base ends of said prop levers jointed with said platform by brackets i t', secured to said platform, and shafts j, passing through said brackets land the ends of said levers. These prop-levers are made with an extension of length from their joints with platform B as will extend their rearward or upper ends to near the rear or upper ends of theside rails c c of the main ladder when the latter is turned down to a horizontal position, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2. vMounted on spin` dles lixed in the upper end portions of these prop-levers are friction-rollersm m, (indicated by dotted lines in Figs. l, 2, and 3,) which IOO rollers have suitable bearing against the lower side edges of side rails c c of the main ladder D, and fixed to these same side rails and projecting from the upper sides of the same are the holding-hooks a n. A connectingbar, 7c, holds the upper ends of these proplevers from spreading apart. These prop-levers, having their base ends jointed to the platform, with their upper or rearward ends bearing (through rollers m m) against the lower sides of the side rails of the main ladder without being secured with the same, are free to be turned upward from their jointed connection with the platform B from horizontal position in Fig. 2 to that of a verticaLone, as shown in Fig. 3, or to any preferred angle of inclination between positions in Fig. 2 and that in Fig. 3, and when being turned upward their upper or rearward ends will, through rollers m m, lift against the lower side of the main ladder, which ladder is itself free to be turned from a horizontal position, moving on its pivotingshaft a,to an elevated position and at a greater or less incline, and when these prop-levers are forcibly turned upward they will cause the main ladder to be elevated more or less toward a perpendicular position, accordingly as the rearward or upper ends of these prop-levers are elevated. When the main ladder is in thehorizontalpositionshown in Fig. 2, the bearing-rollers m m, fixed to the prop-levers J J, will have bearing against the lower side edges of the side rails of the main ladder at a point near its rear or upper endf but as the rearward ends of these prop-levers are being raised, and are made to effect an elevation of the rearward end of the main ladder, the rollers m m will run forward or downwardly along the lower side of side rails c c of the main ladder and have bearing at different points on the same, accordingly as the degree of angle of said prop -levers is made 'to differ, and these points of bearing of the prop-levers on the main ladder will be nearer the rearward end of the same, or at a higher point on the same, when the main ladder is more horizontal, While, when the main ladder is brought to more nearly a vertical position the points of bearing on the main ladder will be at a considerable distance forward or below the upper or rearward end of the same, and in all cases the point of applied support of the main ladder by the prop-levers will be nearer the base of the main ladder when the latter is nearer a vertical position and not requiring such an extensive support, because of the greater weight of said ladder and its load on itsjoint-connection with posts G O, and will be at points on the main ladder more distant from its base-joint connection with said posts when the ladder has a less incline and less Weight on its said joint-connection with said posts. The rearward ends of these prop-levers can be elevated from the nearly horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 by means of several suitable mechanical devices; yet preference is given to the use of draw-rods and screw-rods working into screwthreaded nuts connected with the draw-rods, or to the use of awindlass and ropes, either of which will be effective for the purpose of elevating the rear ends of said prop-levers and holding them to the elevations they are raised to. rlhe drawings show the former employed and specifically described. The mechanism consists of the shaft L, provided with crank- .handles Z Z, for revolving it, and having on its ends the miter wheels M, (this shaft L is mounted in suitable bearings in the base end of themain laddea) and screw-shafts N N, one at each side of the main ladder and supported in suitable bearings, ota, and having on their forward ends ruiter-wheels M', with the screws Working 'within the screw-nuts O O,which are secured to the forward ends of the draw-rods l? P, which have connection by their rear ends with the rear ends of the prop levers,as shown. When the crank-handles Z Z are turned to revolve shaft L in a suitable direction for screwing thc screw rods or shafts N N into their respeetive nuts O O on the draw-rods, the said screw-shafts will, through said nuts, pull the draw-rods endwise toward the forward end of the main ladder, when this endwise pull will cause said rods to draw on the rear ends of the prop-levers J J, (which are on a plane above a line on a plane with the center of motion of said prop-levers) and elevate the same more or less toward a vertical position, accordingly as the said screw-shafts are revolved. f A reversed operation of said screw-shafts will effect a lowering'of said prop-levers. Vhen awindlass and ropes are used, the windlass can be mounted in bearings in the main ladder, in place of shaft L and ruiter-wheels M; or the windlass can have its bearings in posts C C, by being made with shaft a, by which the main ladder is jointed to said posts; or it can be otherwise suitably arranged so as to pull on ropes which connect the windlass with the rearward or upper ends of the prop-levers J J.

Q is a toboggan having both of its ends turned up and its sides provided with guards q q. This toboggan is made of a width corresponding with the width of the sliding ladder E between its side rails.

R is a ball of small rope, i, the end of which rope is. secured to one end of the toboggan. It is intended that a person can carry this toboggan up the ladders to the height required for rescuing inmates of burning buildings, and when this height is reached the ball R will be thrown over a round of the ladder E,when the `rope will unwind and have its end delivered to the ground below, when operators can from the ground pay out the rope and gently let the toboggan, with its occupants, slide down the ladders; or this toboggan can be drawn upward, sliding on the ladders by means of the rope r drawn on from the ground below and running over one of the rounds of the sliding ladder. j

Having described myinvention, whatl claim 1s- IOO IIO

Iss

l. in an eXtensionfire-ladder, the combination with a main ladder, which has a jointed connection at its foot, and with a platform or pieces secured to the same, of a prop-lever which has its base end also jointed with the said platform and its opposite end extended rearwardly or upwardly, and serving by a sliding connection with the main ladder to support the rearward or upper end or portion of said main ladder at different points on the same, accordingly as said prop-lever has its rearward or upper end elevated by force applied to the same, substantially as and for the purposes and operations set forth.

2. In an extension ireeladder, the combination, with a main ladder which isjointed at its foot end with the platform or posts secured to the same, of proplevers which have their foot ends jointed with said platform at a point at a distance rearward of the point of joint of the said main ladder with the platform, and have their rearward or upper ends connected by a sliding connection with the main ladder and in normal idle position elevated to a plane relatively above the plane of the center of motion of said levers, and having connections with draw-rods, or their described equivalents, which operate to pull on the said ends to elevate the same, substantially as and for the purposes and operations set forth.

3. In extension iire-ladders,the combination, with a main ladder jointed at its foot end with a platform or posts secured to the same, and the prop-levers which have their foot ends also jointed to said platform and atadistance from the connecting joint of said ladder with the platform, and have their rearward ends supporting the rear end portiomof4 the main ladder, and also free to be moved upwardly and forwardly to elevate the said ladder to different angles of inclinatiomjof the revolving screw-shafts, and nuts which hold said serew-shafts in 'connection with draw-rods which are connected with the rearward ends of said prop-levers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In extension lire-ladders, the combination, with prop-levers which arejointed with a platform at a point rearward to the point of joint of the main ladder with the same, and which have their free rearward or upper ends supporting the rear end portion of the main ladder, and draw-rods P, connected with nuts which work on the screw-shafts N, of gear mechanism which can be operated at will for revolving said screw-shafts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In extension fire-ladders, the combination,with the side rails of the main ladder and ropes of the windlass moving the sliding ladder on said main ladder, of the protectingcases H, containing the portions of said ropes which are below said main ladder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In extension tire-ladders, the combination, with the ropes of the windlass which moves the sliding ladder on the main ladder, ofthe grooves h., made in the lower side of the side rails of the sliding ladder, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

LEVI DEDERIGK- Witnesses:

H. C. KELLY, CHARLns SELKIRK.. 

